Mirror adjustment mechanism with electrical connection

ABSTRACT

A mirror adjustment mechanism for a wing mirror of a motor vehicle, comprising a base frame which can be fixedly connected with a motor vehicle, and a mirror connector for supporting a mirror element, which mirror connector is pivotally connected with the base frame through a hinge construction, while there is provided an electrical connection between the base frame and the mirror connector, the electrical connection comprising at least one pair contact during pivoting of the mirror connector relative to the base frame, while one of the contact parts of the siding contact is fixedly connected with the mirror connector.

This invention relates to a mirror adjustment mechanism for a wingmirror of a motor vehicle, comprising a base frame which can be fixedlyconnected with a motor vehicle, and a mirror connector for supporting amirror element, which mirror connector is pivotally connected with thebase frame through a hinge construction, and wherein there is providedan electrical connection between the base frame and the mirrorconnector.

Such a mirror adjustment mechanism is generally known and is used toincorporate a mirror element in a wing mirror of a motor vehicle in apivotable manner, such that a driver can set the angular position of themirror element relative to the vehicle to adjust his field of vision inrearward direction from the driver's seat via the mirror element.

The mirror adjustment mechanism is often provided with a mirror actuatorprovided with electrical drive means to enable the mirror element to bepivoted electrically, while the mirror connector is often integratedwith a mirror support plate.

The electrical connection between the base frame and the mirrorconnector usually serves to realize functions for the purpose of the useof the mirror, such as, for instance, mirror heating, electric dimmingof light shining in, and keeping the mirror water-free throughvibrations. The electric components with which such functions arerealized, for instance a heating element, an electrochrome glass or anultrasonic motor, are often fitted on the mirror support plate but canalso be fitted, for instance, on the mirror.

The base frame is usually fixed on a mirror base fitted near the door ofthe motor vehicle.

In the conventional mirror adjustment mechanisms, the electricalconnection between the base frame and the mirror connector is oftendesigned as one or more electrical connecting wires which are eachfitted at two ends, through a plug connection, to the base frame and themirror connector, respectively. The connecting wire between the baseframe and the mirror connector can also be fitted through a solderedconnection at one or both ends. To enable the mirror connector to pivotrelative to the base frame, the conducting wire is made of flexibledesign.

There is a trend to realize more and more electrical functions for thepurpose of the use of the mirror. Consequently, because this requiresbundling of the connecting wires, it is difficult in practice to providea sufficiently flexible electrical connection.

In addition, it is time consuming to fit such a bundled electricalconnection between the base frame and the mirror connector. This is aproblem in particular when it is taken into account that the mirrorconnector is often supplied as a subassembly, the mirror connector beingprovided with a mirror element and a number of electrical components forfulfilling utility functions of the mirror, such as a heating element,electrochrome glass or ultrasonic motor. The subassembly mentioned,further, is often supplied by a different supplier than the supplier ofthe other parts of the mirror adjustment mechanism, which likewiseconstitute a subassembly. Often, the two subassemblies of the mirroradjustment mechanism must then be electrically connected with each otherin a reliable manner in large numbers by a third party. As the twosubassemblies of the mirror adjustment mechanism are each made up of alarge number of components, this entails an accumulation of dimensionaltolerances, which makes it more difficult to assemble the mirroradjustment mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide a mirror adjustment mechanismof the type mentioned in the opening paragraph, in which, whilemaintaining the advantages, the disadvantages mentioned can be obviated.In particular, the invention contemplates a mirror adjustment mechanismin which the electrical connection between the base frame and theconnector can be effected in a reliable and efficient manner.

To that end, a mirror adjustment mechanism according to the invention ischaracterized in that the electrical connection comprises at least onepair of contact parts disposed movably relative to each other, whichcontact parts jointly form a sliding contact for maintaining theelectrical contact during pivotal motion of the mirror connectorrelative to the base frame, while one of the contact parts of thesliding contact is fixedly connected with the mirror connector. As aresult, what is achieved is that the electrical connection can easily bemade of multiple design, while maintaining the flexibility of theelectrical connection. In addition, because in each case one of thecontact parts of the sliding contact is fixedly connected with themirror connector, it is easy to carry out the assembly of the mirroradjustment mechanism from two subassemblies.

Advantageously, to that end, the mirror connector forms part of asubassembly which further comprises a mirror plate and one or moreelectrical components for fulfilling functions of use of the mirrorplate.

By providing at least one of the contact parts of the sliding contactwith a contact surface which is overdimensioned with respect to thesurface of a conducting path over which the contact parts cooperateduring pivotal motion, the influence of the accumulation of dimensionaltolerances of the components from which the subassembly is built up canbe reduced, so that assembling the mirror adjustment mechanism from twosubassemblies can be facilitated.

By integrating the sliding contact into two parts of the hingeconstruction that are disposed movably relative to each other, thesliding contact can be realized in an elegant and reliable manner.

By including a flexible electrical conductor, also known by the name offlexfoil, in the electrical connection, the electrical connection can besimply made of multiple design.

The invention further relates to a method for assembling a mirroradjustment mechanism, wherein a first subassembly which comprises a baseframe is electrically and mechanically pivotably connected with a secondsubassembly which comprises a mirror connector and electricalcomponents, and wherein the electrical connection is effected bybringing contact parts of a sliding contact into engagement. Preferably,the electrical and mechanical connection takes place in one step, forinstance in that both subassemblies comprise a hinge part in which acontact part of the sliding contact is included, which contact parts arebrought into engagement by connecting the hinge parts with each other.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in thesubclaims.

The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of a number ofexemplary embodiments which are represented in a drawing. In thedrawing.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of a mirror adjustment mechanism;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a first embodiment of the hingeconstruction of the mirror adjustment mechanism outlined in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 2, with two slidingcontacts included therein;

FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a second embodiment of the hingeconstruction of the mirror adjustment mechanism outlined in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 shows a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 4, with two slidingcontacts included therein.

The figures concern only schematic representations of preferredembodiments of the invention. In the figures, the same or correspondingparts are indicated with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a mirror adjustment mechanismfor a wing mirror of a motor vehicle. The mirror adjustment mechanism 1comprises a base frame 2 which can be fixedly connected with a motorvehicle, in particular by mounting it on a support construction, notshown, which is connected with a mirror base on the door of the motorvehicle so as to be pivotable relative to a substantially upright baseaxis.

The mirror adjustment mechanism 1 further comprises a mirror connector 3for supporting a mirror element which is not represented in this figure.Through a hinge construction 4, the mirror connector 3 is pivotallyconnected to the base frame 2.

FIG. 2 is a cross section of a first preferred embodiment of the hingeconstruction of the mirror adjustment mechanism from FIG. 1. The hingeconstruction is designed as a ball-and-socket joint consisting of asubstantially ball-shaped first hinge part 4 a which is fixedlyconnected with the base frame 2, and a substantially socket-shapedsecond hinge part 4 b which is fixedly connected with the mirrorconnector 3.

FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of an electrical connection 5 forthe hinge construction of FIG. 2.

The electrical connection 5 comprises two pairs of contact parts 6 a, 6b; 6 a′, 6 b′, disposed movably relative to each other, for maintainingthe electrical contact during pivoting of the mirror connector 3relative to the base frame 2. Of each pair of contact parts 6 a, 6 b; 6a′, 6 b′ of the sliding contacts 5, in each case one of the contactparts 6 a; 6 a′ is fixedly connected with the fixed base frame 2, morespecifically the ball-shaped hinge part 4 a, while the correspondingcontact parts 6 b, 6 b′ are fixedly connected with the mirror connector,more specifically the socket-shaped hinge part 4 b. It will be clearthat the contact parts 6 b, 6 b′ can also be incorporated in a differentpart of the mirror connector 3, as long as the corresponding parts 6 a,6 a′ are at the same time incorporated in the base part 2 in such amanner that when the mirror connector 3 pivots relative to the baseframe 2, the contact parts 6 a, 6 a′ continue to make contact with thecorresponding contact parts 6 b, 6 b′ at all times. Preferably, however,the contact parts form part of the hinge part 4, 80 that the relativedisplacements can be kept as small as possible.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a second preferred embodiment for the hingeconstruction of the mirror adjustment mechanism from FIG. 1. The hingeconstruction consists of a crosspiece 4, connected with the mirrorconnector 3 so as to be pivotable about a first main axis A, and furtherconnected with the base frame 28 so as to be pivotable about a secondmain axis B, with main axis B being substantially perpendicular to mainaxis A, and both axes being situated in planes substantially parallel tothe mirror plane. Preferably, the two axes intersect in one point, sothat a kinematic equivalent of a ball hinge is obtained.

FIG. 5 shows a preferred embodiment of an electrical connection 5 forthe hinge construction of FIG. 4.

The electrical connection 5 comprises two pairs of contact parts 6 a, 6b; 6 a′, 6 b′, disposed movably relative to each other, for maintainingthe electrical contact during pivoting of the mirror connector 3relative to the crosspiece 4 about axis A. Of each pair of contact parts6 a, 6 b; 6 a′, 6 b′ of the sliding contacts 5, in each case one of thecontact parts 6 b; 6 b′ is fixedly connected with the mirror connector3, for instance in the form of resilient elements at the underside ofthe mirror connector 3. The corresponding contact parts 6 a, 6 a′ areincorporated in the crosspiece 4, such that, when the mirror connector 3pivots about main axis A, they form a sliding contact with contact parts6 b, 6 b′. In a preferred embodiment, the contact parts 6 a, 6 a′ arepart of a flexible electrical conductor, not shown, of which the partwith the contact parts 6 a, 6 a′ is fixedly connected wit the crosspiece4, and another part is fixedly connected with the base frame 2, so thatcrosspiece 4 can pivot relative to the fixed base frame 2 about mainaxis B without the electrical contact being broken. In a preferredembodiment, the contact parts 6 a, 6 a′ can be designed in the form ofresilient elements, while the contact parts 6 b, 6 b′ form part of aheating element, not shown, which forms part of the mirror connector.

1. A mirror adjustment mechanism for a wing mirror of a motor vehicle,comprising a base frame which can be fixedly connected with a motorvehicle, and a mirror connector for supporting a mirror element, whichmirror connector is pivotally connected with the base frame through ahinge construction, and wherein there is provided an electricalconnection between the base frame and the mirror connector,characterized in that the electrical connection comprises at least onepair of contact parts disposed movably relative to each other, whichcontact parts jointly form a sliding contact for maintaining theelectrical contact during pivoting of the mirror connector relative tothe base frame, and one of the contact parts of the sliding contact isfixedly connected with the mirror connector.
 2. A mirror adjustmentmechanism according to claim 1, wherein the mirror connector forms partof a subassembly which further comprises a mirror plate and one or moreelectrical components.
 3. A mirror adjustment mechanism according toclaim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the contact parts of the slidingcontact is provided with a contact surface which is overdimensioned withrespect to the surface of a conducting path over which the contact partscooperate during pivoting.
 4. A mirror adjustment mechanism according toany one of the preceding claims, wherein the sliding contact isintegrated into two parts of the hinge construction which are disposedmovably relative to each other.
 5. A mirror adjustment mechanismaccording to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a part of thebinge construction is integrated into the mirror connector.
 6. A mirroradjustment mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims,wherein the hinge construction comprises a ball hinge with two hingeparts cooperating as a ball and a socket.
 7. A mirror adjustmentmechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein thehinge construction comprises a first hinge part which is fixedlyconnected with the base frame and is connected with a crosspiece so asto be pivotable about a first axis A, and comprises a second part whichis fixedly connected with the mirror connector and is connected with thecrosspiece so as to be pivotable about a second axis B, and wherein thetwo axes A and B are substantially perpendicular to each other and aresituated in planes which are substantially parallel to the mirror plane.8. A method for assembling a mirror adjustment mechanism, wherein afirst subassembly which comprises a base frame is electrically andmechanically pivotably connected with a second subassembly whichcomprises a mirror connector and electrical components, and wherein theelectrical connection is effected by bringing two contact parts of asliding contact into engagement.